


Proud of You

by Karkachu



Category: Steven Universe (Cartoon)
Genre: Fluff, Hurt/Comfort
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2015-07-16
Updated: 2015-07-16
Packaged: 2018-04-09 17:22:24
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 804
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/4357805
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Karkachu/pseuds/Karkachu
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Pearl and Steven have a small talk after the play on Beach City's founding. (Set after "Historical Friction")</p>
            </blockquote>





	Proud of You

**Author's Note:**

> I'd never written an SU fic bUT IM SUCH TRASH FOR PEARL AND STEVEN EPISODES HOW COULD I RESIST

"I _especially_ liked your scenes."

A woman — or humanoid alien, to be exact — walked alongside the shore, headed home after a play — a _historically accurate_ play, thank you very much. A play about the story of her current residence. There was a soft spring to her step, as if she'd momentarily forgotten the weight of the long line of mistakes that hung on her back. There was a smile on her lips, too, but it was not so much out of content as it was _pride_. Pride for the boy she'd watch stumble and fall but never give up.   
  
Everyone makes mistakes, but he was her _hero_ for getting back up.

"Really?!... Hey, _waaait_ , I was in every scene!"

A young boy — or half-boy, to be exact — walked besides her, the playful rolling of his eyes accompanied by a pleased smile and blushing cheeks. He too had loved all of his scenes, as well as Jaime's, but the smile on his lips was not only because of the success of the play, but because for once in weeks, _she_ looked genuinely happy.

"Of course," Pearl replied, looking down at him, her smile shifting into a smirk, "that's _why_ I especially liked the _entire_ play."

"And also because it was _historically accurate?"_ Steven asked with a smirk of his own, the toy sword in his hand batting away at seashell on the ground.

Pearl laughed, nodding slightly. "That too," she replied. She quieted down for a moment, looking away from him and towards the vast sea. "You _are_ half-human, Steven. You should learn the proper history of your home and your planet."

It was easy to forget Steven had another side to him. It was easy to forget, or maybe she sometimes — not too often, she swore — pretended there wasn't. Regardless, the knowledge of one's history helped one grow and avoid making mistakes from the past.

...Perhaps the art of perfection was not one she ought to be teaching.

Her mind flashed briefly back to Garnet, but before the sinking feeling and guilt could creep up, she buried it away. There would be time for that later; now her time was dedicated to one she'd hurt too — even if he refused to show it.

"And besides, I was glad to help you."  
  
Steven sighed, now dragging the sword along the sand. "Mayor Dewey's—" He stopped and bit on his lip. One, two, three, four? Five? "— great, great, great, great, great—"

"That's one too much, Steven," Pearl interrupted.

He blushed and cleared his throat. "Four-great grandfather sure made a lot of mistakes, huh?"

"Yes, but as they say, to err is human," she replied. _And to learn from them too,_ she thought. Perhaps that — amongst the many others, such as the vastly different intellectual and technological capacities — was the key difference between her and humans. They learned, and she seemed to certainly be unable to.

Or maybe that was just because there was something wrong with her.

"And to arr is pirate!" he added, brandishing his sword into the air and swiping at an invisible enemy. She laughed, and he laughed too. He liked laughing so much. Laughing meant things were okay. He wished Pearl would laugh more.

"But he kept going!" he added, still brandishing his sword heroically. "And he never gave up, even if he made mistakes!" He lowered his sword and smiled at her, "Just like we won't! Because we're strong!"

And Pearl didn't answer. She just looked away, the smile vanishing from her face.

"William Dewey was too stubborn to give up," she said, switching topics in a very unsubtle way. Or, was she really switching them? "Like all humans… except..."

"Except?"

"I'm not human."  
  
"No, but you're really strong," he replied. He took her hand in his free one, a small gesture that surprised her. He did not see her slight widening of eyes or the affectionate smile, but he _felt_ her hand closing around his, and that was enough. With a grin, he looked up and said, "Strong in the real way!"

Pearl laughed. She laughed, her face melting into a wide grin, and before she could stop herself, she leaned down and scooped up a laughing Steven into her arms. "Oh Steven," she said, fighting hard to keep her eyes dry, "I'm so proud of you."

"Because of my _acting skills?"_ he said in his _acting_ accent.

"Oh, I can't wait for the next play!" she replied, nodding and putting him down, making sure to keep holding his hand.

As they continued home, she let her mind wander to Garnet. She had made mistakes — very serious mistakes — but she'd get up and keep trying to do better. Even if it was hard, and even if she kept falling down, she'd keep trying.

So he'd be proud of her, too.


End file.
